1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cutter for cutting and opening the folded edge of envelopes, folded paper sheets, etc.
2. Prior Art Statement
A well-known apparatus for cutting and opening the envelope edge comprises a box-like casing having a groove-like path for feeding the envelope edge therealong and a circular cutter provided in the casing such as to extend in the groove-like path and rotationally driven by a motor or the like. The edge portion of an envelope is passed through the groove-like path to be cut at its position space apart by 2 to 3 mm from the envelope edge.
This prior art cutter, however, produces fine and elongate cutting dust as wide as 2 to 3 mm as a result of cutting envelope edges, and the disposal of this cutting dust is cumbersome. This problem is particularly serious when a large number of envelopes are opened successively.
Moreover, the cutter noted above and like cutters of various kinds in the prior art, irrespective of whether they are motor-driven or manually operable and also irrespective of the shape and kind of the cutter blade, is not provided with any means for correcting a frayed state, if any, of an envelope as in the case of an old envelope. Therefore, a frayed portion of envelope gets out of the cutting region of the cutter when cutting the edge of the envelope. In such a case, the envelope comes out with a remaining edge portion remaining without being cut away and disabling smooth opening of the envelope.
Further, with the above prior art cutter or the like, a cover and other members surrounding the cutter blade have to be removed every time the cutter blade is to be cleaned or replaced, and the removal operation is very cumbersome.